http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/
Northwestern MutualVoice - Helping You Plan for Today, and Tomorrow. - ForbesNorthwestern MutualVoice's stories. Helping You Plan for Today, and Tomorrow.http://blogs-images.forbes.com/assets/images/avatars/blog-2577_400.jpghttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/31/working-large-by-living-small-simple-living-makes-artists-dream-come-true/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Working Large By Living Small: Simple Living Makes Artist's Dream Come True“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” When three deaths and a job loss rocked her world, Norma Fredrickson clung to this proverb. In 2011, Fredrickson lost her mother to old age and two close friends to illness. One of those friends had built [...]Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/31/working-large-by-living-small-simple-living-makes-artists-dream-come-true/Tue, 31 Mar 2015 09:04:00 -0400“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” When three deaths and a job loss rocked her world, Norma Fredrickson clung to this proverb. In 2011, Fredrickson lost her mother to old age and two close friends to illness. One of those friends had built [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/30/what-you-need-to-know-before-borrowing-from-your-retirement-plan/
Northwestern MutualVoice: What You Need To Know Before Borrowing From Your Retirement PlanWhen you’re in need of cash, a loan from your qualified retirement plan might seem like a good option. In fact, from 2009 through 2013, about one in five people who were eligible to take loans from their 401(k) had taken one, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/30/what-you-need-to-know-before-borrowing-from-your-retirement-plan/Mon, 30 Mar 2015 08:51:00 -0400When you’re in need of cash, a loan from your qualified retirement plan might seem like a good option. In fact, from 2009 through 2013, about one in five people who were eligible to take loans from their 401(k) had taken one, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/26/6-steps-to-hiring-your-first-employee/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 6 Steps To Hiring Your First EmployeeIt was early 2013 when Kerri Quigley realized she was in desperate need of a full-time employee. Three years earlier she’d started The Fashion Class, a New York City-based fashion design and sewing school for children, and had insisted on doing nearly everything herself except for the help of a few freelancers.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/26/6-steps-to-hiring-your-first-employee/Thu, 26 Mar 2015 08:30:00 -0400It was early 2013 when Kerri Quigley realized she was in desperate need of a full-time employee. Three years earlier she’d started The Fashion Class, a New York City-based fashion design and sewing school for children, and had insisted on doing nearly everything herself except for the help of a few freelancers.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/25/ask-the-financial-expert-how-will-rising-interest-rates-and-a-strong-dollar-affect-the-markets/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Ask The Financial Expert: How Will Rising Interest Rates And A Strong Dollar Affect The Markets?Do you have questions about finances or the markets? We’re starting a new series that will allow you to submit questions to experts at Northwestern Mutual. Each month, our financial experts will answer two questions.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/25/ask-the-financial-expert-how-will-rising-interest-rates-and-a-strong-dollar-affect-the-markets/Wed, 25 Mar 2015 08:30:00 -0400Do you have questions about finances or the markets? We’re starting a new series that will allow you to submit questions to experts at Northwestern Mutual. Each month, our financial experts will answer two questions.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/24/5-steps-to-create-your-retirement-paycheck/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 5 Steps To Create Your Retirement PaycheckRetiring on a generous pension or living solely on Social Security is a way of life that largely disappeared along with pay phones and cassette tapes.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/24/5-steps-to-create-your-retirement-paycheck/Tue, 24 Mar 2015 08:43:00 -0400Retiring on a generous pension or living solely on Social Security is a way of life that largely disappeared along with pay phones and cassette tapes.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/23/are-leaders-born-or-made/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Are Leaders Born Or Made?Are leaders born or made? This is a debate as timeless as the question, “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?”Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/23/are-leaders-born-or-made/Mon, 23 Mar 2015 08:50:00 -0400Are leaders born or made? This is a debate as timeless as the question, “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?”http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/19/3-ways-to-fight-imposter-syndrome/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 3 Ways To Fight Imposter SyndromeWhat do Tina Fey, Maya Angelou, and Sheryl Sandberg have in common? They all suffered from "imposter syndrome." Such feelings, epitomized by profound self-doubt and a sense of being a fraud, are common among women of every age and every level of success, says Dr. Valerie Young.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/19/3-ways-to-fight-imposter-syndrome/Thu, 19 Mar 2015 08:39:00 -0400What do Tina Fey, Maya Angelou, and Sheryl Sandberg have in common? They all suffered from "imposter syndrome." Such feelings, epitomized by profound self-doubt and a sense of being a fraud, are common among women of every age and every level of success, says Dr. Valerie Young.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/18/should-you-pay-off-your-mortgage-before-you-retire/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire?Should you pay off your mortgage early? It’s a question I get a lot, especially from people who are getting close to retirement. I’m not surprised: Who doesn’t dream of the day when they own their house free and clear?Rebekah Barsch, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/18/should-you-pay-off-your-mortgage-before-you-retire/Wed, 18 Mar 2015 08:21:00 -0400Should you pay off your mortgage early? It’s a question I get a lot, especially from people who are getting close to retirement. I’m not surprised: Who doesn’t dream of the day when they own their house free and clear?http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/17/angels-in-training-how-one-boot-camp-is-increasing-the-ranks-of-female-investors/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Angels In Training: How One Boot Camp Is Increasing The Ranks Of Female InvestorsChanging the world is a gendered pursuit, says Natalia Oberti Noguera, founder and CEO of Pipeline Fellowship, an angel investing boot camp for women.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/17/angels-in-training-how-one-boot-camp-is-increasing-the-ranks-of-female-investors/Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:44:00 -0400Changing the world is a gendered pursuit, says Natalia Oberti Noguera, founder and CEO of Pipeline Fellowship, an angel investing boot camp for women.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/16/getting-social-online-collaboration-helps-women-owned-businesses-thrive/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Getting Social: Online Collaboration Helps Women-Owned Businesses ThriveFor women who thought success meant they had to learn how to achieve in a man’s world, Hello Fearless is changing the game.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/16/getting-social-online-collaboration-helps-women-owned-businesses-thrive/Mon, 16 Mar 2015 08:35:00 -0400For women who thought success meant they had to learn how to achieve in a man’s world, Hello Fearless is changing the game.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/12/how-a-coffee-shop-found-its-niche/
Northwestern MutualVoice: How A Coffee Shop Found Its NicheJeremy Tooker admits it. He had a chip on his shoulder when he started Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco in 2008. “We made conscious decisions about what we would and would not do. All business is personal, and how you operate involves choice,” he says.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/12/how-a-coffee-shop-found-its-niche/Thu, 12 Mar 2015 08:48:00 -0400Jeremy Tooker admits it. He had a chip on his shoulder when he started Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco in 2008. “We made conscious decisions about what we would and would not do. All business is personal, and how you operate involves choice,” he says.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/11/how-do-you-build-credibility-as-a-leader-when-you-arent-the-technical-expert/
Northwestern MutualVoice: How Do You Build Credibility As A Leader When You Aren't The Technical Expert?Five years ago I was working as an attorney in our Law department when I was offered a leadership position in an entirely new area—corporate strategy. At the time, I knew nothing about corporate strategy, which, as you can imagine, made me nervous. What would happen if people found out I wasn’t the expert?Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/11/how-do-you-build-credibility-as-a-leader-when-you-arent-the-technical-expert/Wed, 11 Mar 2015 08:48:00 -0400Five years ago I was working as an attorney in our Law department when I was offered a leadership position in an entirely new area—corporate strategy. At the time, I knew nothing about corporate strategy, which, as you can imagine, made me nervous. What would happen if people found out I wasn’t the expert?http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/10/being-thrifty-why-whats-old-is-now-hot/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Being Thrifty: Why What's Old Is Now HotLeah Blanton likes one-of-a-kind clothing, but she’s not willing to pay designer prices to get them. Like many others of her generation, the 27-year-old landscape designer is part of a growing trend that marries budget-consciousness with a desire to express individuality.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/10/being-thrifty-why-whats-old-is-now-hot/Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:52:00 -0400Leah Blanton likes one-of-a-kind clothing, but she’s not willing to pay designer prices to get them. Like many others of her generation, the 27-year-old landscape designer is part of a growing trend that marries budget-consciousness with a desire to express individuality.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/09/female-co-working-spaces-encourage-community-and-collaboration/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Female Co-Working Spaces Encourage Community And CollaborationSome successful women credit an all-girls education with giving them the confidence to shoot for any goal. Can female work spaces offer professional women the same advantage?Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/09/female-co-working-spaces-encourage-community-and-collaboration/Mon, 9 Mar 2015 09:02:00 -0400Some successful women credit an all-girls education with giving them the confidence to shoot for any goal. Can female work spaces offer professional women the same advantage?http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/05/how-agrihoods-are-making-farm-to-table-living-hip/
Northwestern MutualVoice: How Agrihoods Are Making Farm-To-Table Living HipIf you’ve ever tasted an heirloom tomato still warm from the vine or an omelet made from just-laid eggs, then you know just how good fresh can be. Now imagine living in a neighborhood where access to farm-raised produce is just steps away from your front door.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/05/how-agrihoods-are-making-farm-to-table-living-hip/Thu, 5 Mar 2015 08:53:00 -0500If you’ve ever tasted an heirloom tomato still warm from the vine or an omelet made from just-laid eggs, then you know just how good fresh can be. Now imagine living in a neighborhood where access to farm-raised produce is just steps away from your front door.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/04/tame-the-247-beast-lessons-from-a-leader-on-how-to-unplug/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Tame The 24/7 Beast: Lessons From A Leader On How To UnplugWhen I go on vacation, I check out as much as possible. That’s the point of a vacation, right? I don’t want to be chained to my phone or my tablet all day, every day—especially when I’m taking a much-needed break to rejuvenate.Joann M. Eisenhart, Ph.D., Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/04/tame-the-247-beast-lessons-from-a-leader-on-how-to-unplug/Wed, 4 Mar 2015 08:36:00 -0500When I go on vacation, I check out as much as possible. That’s the point of a vacation, right? I don’t want to be chained to my phone or my tablet all day, every day—especially when I’m taking a much-needed break to rejuvenate.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/03/how-to-keep-your-education-going-in-retirement/
Northwestern MutualVoice: How To Keep Your Education Going In RetirementPeople approaching retirement today are faced with an entirely different reality than previous generations. With life expectancies on the rise, instead of winding down, many retirees are gearing up for a whole new chapter.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/03/how-to-keep-your-education-going-in-retirement/Tue, 3 Mar 2015 08:41:00 -0500People approaching retirement today are faced with an entirely different reality than previous generations. With life expectancies on the rise, instead of winding down, many retirees are gearing up for a whole new chapter.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/02/disrupting-pink-how-goldieblox-changes-the-way-girls-think-about-toys/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 4 Innovation Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From GoldieBloxFrom a humble Kickstarter campaign just two years ago to a game-changing Super Bowl ad to a girl-powered Thanksgiving parade float, GoldieBlox founder Debbie Sterling is disrupting the pink toy aisle.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/03/02/disrupting-pink-how-goldieblox-changes-the-way-girls-think-about-toys/Mon, 2 Mar 2015 08:37:00 -0500From a humble Kickstarter campaign just two years ago to a game-changing Super Bowl ad to a girl-powered Thanksgiving parade float, GoldieBlox founder Debbie Sterling is disrupting the pink toy aisle.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/26/how-a-broken-foot-inspired-an-entrepreneur-to-launch-an-award-winning-business/
Northwestern MutualVoice: How A Broken Foot Inspired An Entrepreneur To Launch An Award-Winning BusinessWhen Christina Daves broke her foot in 2010, she discovered the opportunity for a new business among the inconvenience and pain of a broken bone.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/26/how-a-broken-foot-inspired-an-entrepreneur-to-launch-an-award-winning-business/Thu, 26 Feb 2015 08:36:00 -0500When Christina Daves broke her foot in 2010, she discovered the opportunity for a new business among the inconvenience and pain of a broken bone.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/25/5-steps-to-help-make-college-saving-manageable/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 5 Steps To Help Make College Saving ManageableTuition costs are skyrocketing, student debt has been mounting, and some newly minted college grads are struggling to find meaningful jobs. And yet a four-year college degree has never been more valuable.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/25/5-steps-to-help-make-college-saving-manageable/Wed, 25 Feb 2015 08:37:00 -0500Tuition costs are skyrocketing, student debt has been mounting, and some newly minted college grads are struggling to find meaningful jobs. And yet a four-year college degree has never been more valuable.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/24/8-tips-for-getting-the-rest-you-need/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 8 Tips For Getting The Rest You NeedHaving trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that “more than one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia.”Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/24/8-tips-for-getting-the-rest-you-need/Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:41:00 -0500Having trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that “more than one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia.”http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/23/what-yogi-berra-can-tell-you-about-oil-prices/
Northwestern MutualVoice: What Yogi Berra Can Tell You About Oil PricesThere’s an often repeated quip that says economic forecasters were invented to make meteorologists and astrologists look good.Jeff DeAngelis, CFA, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/23/what-yogi-berra-can-tell-you-about-oil-prices/Mon, 23 Feb 2015 08:41:00 -0500There’s an often repeated quip that says economic forecasters were invented to make meteorologists and astrologists look good.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/19/how-boosting-female-entrepreneurship-will-fuel-economic-growth/
Northwestern MutualVoice: How Boosting Female Entrepreneurship Will Fuel Economic GrowthEncouraging more women-led startups can have as much positive impact on U.S. economic growth as the entry of women into the labor force during the 20th century, according to a November 2014 report by the Kauffman Foundation.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/19/how-boosting-female-entrepreneurship-will-fuel-economic-growth/Thu, 19 Feb 2015 08:53:00 -0500Encouraging more women-led startups can have as much positive impact on U.S. economic growth as the entry of women into the labor force during the 20th century, according to a November 2014 report by the Kauffman Foundation.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/18/what-a-122-year-old-frenchwoman-can-teach-us-about-retirement-planning/
Northwestern MutualVoice: What A 122-Year-Old Frenchwoman Can Teach Us About Retirement PlanningI keep a picture in my office of an elderly woman who has a lit cigarette and a drink in her hand. Her name is Jeanne Calment, and her story illustrates a point that I often find myself making when I talk to people about life expectancy.Rebekah Barsch, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/18/what-a-122-year-old-frenchwoman-can-teach-us-about-retirement-planning/Wed, 18 Feb 2015 08:53:00 -0500I keep a picture in my office of an elderly woman who has a lit cigarette and a drink in her hand. Her name is Jeanne Calment, and her story illustrates a point that I often find myself making when I talk to people about life expectancy.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/17/could-a-peer-advisory-board-help-your-small-business/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Could A Peer Advisory Board Help Your Small Business?While big businesses enjoy the collective wisdom of a highly experienced, elected board of directors and large pools of executive talent, today’s small-business owners may not know where to turn for business advice or mentorship.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/17/could-a-peer-advisory-board-help-your-small-business/Tue, 17 Feb 2015 08:46:00 -0500While big businesses enjoy the collective wisdom of a highly experienced, elected board of directors and large pools of executive talent, today’s small-business owners may not know where to turn for business advice or mentorship.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/16/addicted-to-technology-good-reasons-to-take-a-tech-break/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Addicted To Technology? Good Reasons To Take A Tech BreakThere’s a lot to love about technology. Our smartphones and laptops allow us to work remotely. The Internet enables us to track our investments and our fitness, catch up on favorite TV shows, play word games with friends or strangers and order groceries. But that same technology can also disconnect [...]Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/16/addicted-to-technology-good-reasons-to-take-a-tech-break/Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:46:00 -0500There’s a lot to love about technology. Our smartphones and laptops allow us to work remotely. The Internet enables us to track our investments and our fitness, catch up on favorite TV shows, play word games with friends or strangers and order groceries. But that same technology can also disconnect [...]http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/12/improve-your-credit-rating-as-you-head-toward-retirement/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Improve Your Credit Rating As You Head Toward RetirementWhen you think about your retirement, you are probably focused on meeting savings goals. But are you keeping a close eye on your credit rating?Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/12/improve-your-credit-rating-as-you-head-toward-retirement/Thu, 12 Feb 2015 08:54:00 -0500When you think about your retirement, you are probably focused on meeting savings goals. But are you keeping a close eye on your credit rating?http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/11/5-tips-to-start-retirement-on-the-right-foot/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 5 Tips To Start Retirement On The Right FootRetirement doesn’t happen in a straight line; it comes in stages. For many, the first years of retirement are often the most active—and the most expensive.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/11/5-tips-to-start-retirement-on-the-right-foot/Wed, 11 Feb 2015 08:42:00 -0500Retirement doesn’t happen in a straight line; it comes in stages. For many, the first years of retirement are often the most active—and the most expensive.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/10/is-your-small-business-ready-for-a-big-credit-card-change/
Northwestern MutualVoice: Is Your Small Business Ready For A Big Credit Card Change?The United States is finally catching up to other countries by adopting widespread use of “chip and PIN” credit cards in 2015.Northwestern MutualVoice Team, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/10/is-your-small-business-ready-for-a-big-credit-card-change/Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:50:00 -0500The United States is finally catching up to other countries by adopting widespread use of “chip and PIN” credit cards in 2015.http://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/09/3-things-entrepreneurs-can-do-today-to-prepare-for-retirement/
Northwestern MutualVoice: 3 Things Entrepreneurs Can Do Today To Prepare For RetirementSome entrepreneurs say they’ll work forever. Yet there comes a point when most business owners want to retire and transfer their ownership in order to enjoy everything they’ve worked so hard to obtain.Northwestern Mutual Contributor, Northwestern Mutualhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/northwesternmutual/2015/02/09/3-things-entrepreneurs-can-do-today-to-prepare-for-retirement/Mon, 9 Feb 2015 08:48:00 -0500Some entrepreneurs say they’ll work forever. Yet there comes a point when most business owners want to retire and transfer their ownership in order to enjoy everything they’ve worked so hard to obtain.